An Appraisal of Challenges in the Sustainable Management of the Micro-tidal Barrier-built ...

194 Pages·2012·3.09 MB·English

An Appraisal of Challenges in the
Sustainable Management of the
Micro-tidal Barrier-built Estuaries
and Lagoons in Sri Lanka
- i -
IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic
solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges.
IUCN works on biodiversity, climate change, energy, human livelihoods and greening
the world economy by supporting scientific research, managing field projects all over
the world, and bringing governments, NGOs, the UN and companies together to
develop policy, laws and best practice.
IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization, with more
than 1,200 government and NGO members and almost 11,000 volunteer experts in
some 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by over 1,000 staff in 45 offices and
hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world.
The IUCN in Sri Lanka was established in 1986 and is guided by IUCN’s mission and
the environmental concerns embodied in successive National Environmental Action
Plans of the Government of Sri Lanka.
- ii -
An Appraisal of Challenges in the
Sustainable Management of the
Micro-tidal Barrier-built Estuaries
and Lagoons in Sri Lanka
Researched and Compiled
by
Dr. Jayampathy Samarakoon
and
Prof. Saman Samarawickrama
- iii -
Published by : IUCN (International Union for Conservation of
Nature), Sri Lanka Office.
Copyright : © 2012 IUCN, International Union for Conservation
of Nature and Natural Resources.
Reproduction of this publication for educational or
other non - commercial purposes is authorized
without prior written permission from the copyright
holder provided the source is fully acknowledged.
Reproduction of this publication for resale or other
commercial purposes is prohibited without prior
written permission of the copyright holder.
Citation : Samarakoon, Jayampathy and Saman Samarawickrama
(2012). An Appraisal of Challenges in the
Sustainable Management of the Micro-tidal Barrier-
built Estuaries and Lagoons in Sri Lanka. IUCN Sri
Lanka Country Office, Colombo. xxii + 171pp.

ISBN : 978-955-0205-11-0
Cover Photographs : Negombo Lagoon
© Ranjith Mahindapala

Produced by : IUCN Sri Lanka Office
Design and layout by : K. Amila Tharanga
Printed by : Karunaratne & Sons Ltd.
67, UDA Industrial Estate,
Katuwana Road,
Homagama, Sri Lanka.
[email protected]
Available from : IUCN
Sri Lanka Country Office,
53, Horton Place,
Colombo 07,
Sri Lanka.
www.iucnsl.org
- iv -
Contents

Preface vii
Summary Overview ix
1. Section 1. Introduction 1
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 The Economic Value of Estuaries and Lagoons 6
1.3 Imparting Meaningfulness and Trustworthiness to the Colloquium
Report 10
1.4 Why Are Estuaries and Lagoons Complex Systems? 11
1.5 Analytical Frameworks 13
1.6 Structure of the Report 16
1.7 What are Estuaries and Lagoons and Where are They Found? 17
1.8 Risk and Vulnerability 20
1.9 The Need for the February 2011 Colloquium 21
1.10 Existing Management Interventions for Estuaries and Lagoons by the
Coast Conservation Department 24
1.10.1 Special Area Management (SAM) 25
1.11 Value of Ecosystem Services 27
1.12 Differences in Scientific Opinions 28
1.13 The Hidden Story and Different Points of View 29
1.14 System Thinking 30
1.15 Environmental Management, Political Ecology and Governance 31
2. Section 2. Colloquium: Presentations and Findings 33
2.1 Presentations 33
3. Section 3. Evidence of Conflicts and Contradictions from Planned
and Haphazard Development and Land Uses in Barrier-built
Estuaries and Lagoons: Case Studies -Batticaloa and Negombo
Lagoons. 49
3.1 Batticaloa Lagoon 51
3.1.1 Livelihood and food security 51
3.1.2 Infrastructure Development: The Impacts on Hydraulics and
Sedimentation 56
3.2 Negombo Lagoon 65
3.2.1 A Brief Area Description 65
4. Section 4. Physical Processes: Hydrology, Hydraulics and
Hydromorphology of Barrier-built Estuaries and Lagoons 71
4.1 Tides 72
4.1.1 Tides at coastal sites 72
- v -
4.1.2 Tides at estuaries 72
4.2 Waves and sediment movement 72
4.2.1 Wind and waves 72
4.2.2 Sediment transport process 74
4.3 Fresh water inflows 75
4.4 Approach to investigations 77
4.5 Towards improved environmental management of the Negombo Lagoon 78
4.6 Feasibility of preventing the formation of a sand bar at the outlet of the
Madu Ganga 81
5. Section 5. Synthesis – What Management Approaches Could Improve
Resilience of Estuaries and Lagoons? 83
5.1 Why a Synthesis? 83
5.2 General principles and methodologies (guidelines) 88
5.3 Policy Relevance 88
5.4 Complex Natural Systems and the ‘Law of Unintended Consequences’ 89
5.4.1 Justification of the Interpretation 97
5.5 A Coherent Framework – Social-ecological System Relationships 98
5.5.1 Social, Economic and Political Variables (S) 101
5.5.2 Related SESs (ECO) 102
5.5.3 The Resource System (RS) - foundation 102
5.6 Case Study of an SES – Negombo Lagoon Barrier-built Estuary 116
5.6.1 Case study inferences 125
5.7 Ecosystem Sustainability System: Economic Valuation 126
5.7.1 Ecosystem services of barrier-built estuaries and lagoons 127
5.8 What Are The Sustainability Options For Barrier Built Estuaries and
Lagoons? 127
5.8.1 National poverty context 128
5.8.2 Marginalization of barrier-built estuaries and lagoons and associated
livelihoods 131
5.9 Ecosystem restoration 132
5.10 Synthesis Summary 133
6. Section 6. Conclusions and Recommendations 135
6.1 Preamble 135
6.2 Conclusions 140
6.2.1 Loss of space for fishery stocks in barrier-built estuaries and lagoons that
support livelihoods (Rank VH)’ 140
6.2.2 Meaningfulness of information 141
6.2.3 Actions necessary for sustainability 142
6.2.4 Intended and unintended consequences of development 143
6.2.5 Risks stemming from the neglect of integrated management 143
6.3 Recommendations 144
7. References and Selected Bibliography 145
8. Annexes 155
- vi -
Preface
This study, based on a colloquium, field assessments of development activities
and technical analyses pertaining to barrier-built estuaries and lagoons, was
inspired by the positive response to a preceding report captioned ‘An Appraisal
of Mangrove Management in Micro-tidal Estuaries and Lagoons in Sri Lanka’
(IUCN, 2011). The colloquium on mangroves gave IUCN an opportunity to
recognize the complexity of outcomes that are associated with planting and/
or restoration of the vegetation in the dynamic setting of micro-tidal estuaries
and lagoons. It also exposed the gap in information and knowledge that would
result in the event that the even more complex parents ecosystems in which
mangroves exist, the barrier-built estuaries and lagoons, are left inadequately
understood. Therefore IUCN initiated the present study.
IUCN has initiated and supported diverse interventions in barrier-built estuaries
and lagoons in Sri Lanka since the decade prior to the Indian Ocean Tsunami in
2004. Following the tsunami, IUCN supported several interventions in selected
barrier-built estuaries and lagoons under the Small Grants Programmes of the
Green Coast Project and Mangroves for the Future initiative (MFF). The focus
of the MFF Initiative in its current phase is integrated coastal management
with particular attention to livelihoods and poverty. Therefore, it was necessary
to garner insights into sustainable management of barrier-built estuaries and
lagoons as ‘ecosystems’ and as development infrastructure for both livelihoods
of dependent communities and compatible multiple uses. Participants at the
colloquium were surprised to learn that the total annual earnings from fishing in
three barrier-built estuaries, Batticaloa, Negombo and Puttalam Lagoon exceeds
Rs. 2 billion – indicative of the significance of these ecosystems for livelihood.
IUCN recognized that “sustainable solutions to complex problems, such as those
encountered in barrier-built estuaries and lagoons, do not come from science,
academics, lobby groups, industries or government; they are the product of
a society-wide dialogue, and the resulting consensus that is negotiated”.
- vii -
Participation at the colloquium included government agencies, representatives of
community organizations, private sector, academia, the Navy, and experienced
scientists.
Field work was conducted by Dr. Jayampathy Samarakoon and Prof. Senevi
Epitawatte supported by the IUCN team at two barrier-built estuaries Batticaloa
Lagoon and Negombo Lagoon. Field discussion and analysis generated valuable
insights on development activities that had ‘unintended consequences’ for the
ecosystem and dependent livelihoods.
The Sri Lanka National Steering Committee of MFF, ably chaired by
Dr. L.P.Batuwitage, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment up to
August 2011 and since then by Mr Ajith Silva, Director Policy & Planning/
Director, Biodiversity Secretariat, Ministry of Environment supported the study
as a priority. The colloquium participants’ enthusiastic engagement provided
valuable information on relevant issues from different perspectives. This was
the foundation that made this report possible. Dr. Samarakoon served as lead
writer of the report and Prof Saman Samarawickrema authored the section on
‘Hydrology, Hydraulics and Hydro-morphology of Barrier-built Estuaries and
Lagoons’. The report was critiqued and edited by Dr. Tilak Wettasinghe whose
assistance is gratefully acknowledged.
The report provides valuable conclusions and recommendations for remedying
some problems and issues and for formulating policies for sustainable
management of barrier-built estuaries and lagoons.
Shamen Vidanage
Acting Country Representative
December, 2011
- viii -
Summary Overview
Introduction
1. Estuaries, including barrier-built estuaries and lagoons, are a conspicuous
constituent of coastal ecosystems associated with Sri Lanka’s 103 rivers. The
barrier-built estuaries such as Batticaloa, Puttalam, Chilaw and Negombo
Lagoons and true lagoons such as Rekawa and Kalametiya Lagoons are
degrading rapidly in parallel with diminishing small-scale fisher livelihoods.
Jaffna Lagoon, the largest barrier-built estuary in Sri Lanka, is exceptional
since it is not associated with a river. Estuaries form where freshwater
from land drainage mixes with sea water to produce brackishwater.
The conventional names of the brackishwater bodies in Sri Lanka do not
distinguish between barrier-built estuaries and lagoons and require to be
reviewed.
2. The barrier-built estuaries and lagoons provide livelihood and food security
to an estimated 1% of the nation’s population. The yearly earnings from
fisheries in three of the most productive barrier-built estuaries, Batticaloa,
Negombo and Puttalam Lagoons, alone, exceeds two billion rupees (Rs. 2
billion). Estimations of annual earning for others has not been made. Reliable
economic valuations of the totality of ecosystem services provided by these
brackish water bodies has not been done.
3. These barrier-built estuaries and lagoons are ecologically significant, in
addition to their own fishery productivity, for supporting the nearshore
coastal fishery both as a nutrient source and a nursery for a wide range of
fishery organisms including fish and shrimps. Production from the nearshore
coastal fishery contributes 60% of the animal protein in the Sri Lankan diet.
Some such (e.g. shrimp) fisheries would collapse in the event that estuaries
and lagoons fail to function.
- ix -
4. The progressive decline of barrier-built estuaries and lagoons is noted as a
public concern in the Mangroves for the Future: National Strategy and Action
Plan – An Ecosystem-based Coastal management for Sri Lanka and in
the Sri Lanka Coastal Zone Management Plans (IUCN, 2009). Barrier-built
estuaries and lagoons are common property resources, the management
responsibility for which, therefore lies with the state (government and
associated institutions). However, the knowledge base is inadequate for
promoting sustainable interventions at the policy level.
5. This report based on the findings of a colloquium held in February, 2011
with participation of responsible government agencies, community
representatives, scientists and conservation organizations contributes
toward building the knowledge base for sustainable management. This is
based on the recognition that sustainable solutions to complex problems do
not come from science, academics, lobby groups, industries or government;
they are a product of a society-wide dialogue, and the resulting consensus
that is negotiated.
6. Barrier-built estuaries and lagoons are complex systems whose structure
and functioning are based upon relationships and interactions among the
parts that constitute these natural ecosystems. But the parts as well as
the relationships among them are constantly changing under the influence
of natural and socio-economic processes. As a result new attributes,
known as emergent properties, arise that create dynamic system-wide
changes. Therefore, these complex systems (comparable with human body
systems) require holistic management (i.e. the interacting parts considered
together). The influence of human actions is superimposed on the physical
and biological change processes. Meaningful approaches to sustainable
management must combine bio-physical, socio-economic, and political
consideration. Therefore, barrier-built estuaries and lagoons are regarded
as social-ecological systems (SESs) as the proposed foundation of the
knowledge base for sustainable management.
7. The trustworthiness of information and knowledge generated through the
colloquium is a necessary attribute for policy relevance. Therefore, analysis
and synthesis of the information gathered at the colloquium not only
considers the science aspect of verifiability through actual experience, but
also uses three analytical frameworks to provide coherence:
• Social-ecological system (SES): Here eight the relevant layers of
variables that influence change in SESs are considered in a diagnostic
approach toward understanding the most significant causes.
- x -